Barrels & Bottles brewpub and wine bar opens today in Golden

When Barrels & Bottles Brewery opens at 5 p.m. today in downtown Golden, it will serve 24 wines on tap, 22 beers -- including two of its own -- and sell bulk olive oils and vinegars, a concept that will make it stand out, say owners Abby and Zach George.

On Monday, the little pub/store will also begin serving baguette sandwiches, cheese and hummus plates, bruschetta, Asian coleslaw and other small dishes.

"Golden is awesome for many reasons, including the community support," says Abby George. "We're a little different from other breweries, though, because of the wine and the kitchen. So there has been a lot of buzz in town about that I think."

There will likely be more buzz after customers see the pub's unusual wine slushy machine, which operates just like a machine at 7-11, but with more potent results.

The Georges also have one of Colorado's only "fusion towers," a randle-like device that infuses beer with fresh hops, coffee or other botanicals. They'll be pouring AC Golden's Colorado Native through it this weekend, infused with Centennial hops.

Eventually, the Georges plan to have up to five of their own beers on tap, but they're starting slow so as not to overwhelm themselves and head brewer Shaun Salyards.

Over the weekend, they'll be selling half-pours -- $2 for five ounces -- of their German rye ale along with a blonde made with a mystery hop grown by Voss Farms in Arvada. "We're going to keep it simple so we don't run out over the weekend," Abby says. The brewpub will also pour beers from Clown Shoes, Crooked Stave, Equinox and others.

Barrels & Bottles has a patio along with a bar that was made from old doors and barrel staves from Rocky Mountain Barrel Company. All of the barstools and tables in the tap room were also fashioned from reclaimed wood.